Women’s Spaces Radio Show with host Elaine B. Holtz and guest Dmitra Smith, Chair of the Sonoma County Commission on Human Rights’ Report: Human Right Violations in Santa Rosa California—Policing the Black Lives Matter Protests has been uploaded to the web archive. The show was recorded, broadcast in the North Bay and streamed worldwide over Radio KBBF 89.1 FM on Monday 8/3/2020 at 11 AM (repeats at 11 PM on KBBF) and repeat broadcast in Petaluma and streamed worldwide over Radio KPCA 103.3 FM on Wednesday 8/5/2020 at 11 AM.
Listen to the show on its archive page at:
http://www.womensspaces.com/ArchiveWSA20/WSA200803.html
—-
Sonoma County Commission on Human Rights’ Report on Policing in the Black Lives Matter Protests in Santa Rosa
—-
New as of 1/1/2020: Subscribe for Podcasts of the Show
via this link for iTunes or via this link for Podcasts.com
Featuring Guest
1. Dmitra Smith, Chair, Sonoma County Commission on Human Rights
—-
Featured Guest
1. Dmitra Smith, Chair of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) of Sonoma County, whom we originally scheduled for the show 2 weeks ago but were unable to connect by telephone, made time for us today to speak with our host Elaine B. Holtz on the Commission’s recently released report on the county’s website, Human Right Violations in Santa Rosa California—Policing the Black Lives Matter Protests. Dmitra recounts how complaints to the CHR poured in after the May 30, 2020 peaceful protests for Black Lives Matter in Santa Rosa of protestors being shot by heavily armed uniformed officers with rubber bullets and tear gas cannisters. Since the Sheriff’s Office and neighboring cities police forces are called for backup, the identity of the officers agencies are unknown, as badges were absent or covered over. The report details the recent complaints through testimonies of those injured by the police or mistreated by jail guards and deprived of COVID-19 precations of social distancing, as well as gives a 20 year context of neglect of the counties legislative bodies to address the need for a change in enforcement policies. Dmitra Smith notes that the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report Community Concerns About Law Enforcement in Sonoma County in 2000 was the year that Andy Lopez was born, only to be shot and killed when13-years old by Sheriff Deputy Eric Gelhaus in southwest Santa Rosa. Dmitra noted that presently there is a push to make the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach (IOLERO), that was formed by the County after many protests of Andy Lopez’s death, more effective based on the outgoing Director’s recommendations stated in the proposed Evelyn Cheatham Effective IOLERO Ordinance, and it awaits action by the Board of Supervisors when they meet tommorrow, Tuesday, August 4, 2020.
About our Guest: Dmitra Smith has served as a Commissioner on the Sonoma County Commission on Human Righrts (CHR) since 2012. She is the program manager for the Junior Commission, having mentored over 100 Sonoma County students since 2013. Smith is a co-founder of Food for All – Comida para Todos, the Sonoma County Black Coalition and Save Your VI, providing education and advocacy for civil rights protections guaranteed to students nationwide. She has collaborated with the California Association of Human Relations Organizations, Congressional Black Caucus, California Association of Human Relations Organizations, NAACP, San Jose State University Human Rights Institute, Southern Poverty Law Center, UC Berkeley School of Law, John Marshall Law School, San Jose State University Human Rights Institute and the US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. Dimitra Smith recently announced her retirement as Chair of CHR.
Guest Link: https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Commission-on-Human-Rights/
—-
Related Links:
Proposed Evelyn Cheatham Effective IOLERO Ordinance https://socoeffectiveoversight.org/
Contact your Sonoma County Board of Supervisors https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Board-of-Supervisors/
—-
Check out important dates to remember in herstory at the National Women’s History Alliance
Birthdays:
August 1, 1923 (2006) – Beatrice Medicine, Standing Rock Sioux anthropologist, focused on the roles of Lakota women in changes facing their cultures in areas including bilingual education, alcohol and drug use, abuse, socialization of children, and identity needs, author of Learning to Be an Anthropologist and Remaining Native
August 3, 1905 (1995) – Maggie Kuhn, senior rights activist, founded the Gray Panthers
August 6, 1886 (1916) – Inez Milholland Boissevain, a lawyer and suffrage leader; gowned in white and riding a white horse, she lead a suffrage parade in Washington, DC, during Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration
Herstory Events:
August 6, 1965 – The Voting Rights Act outlaws the discriminatory literacy tests that had been used to prevent African Americans from voting. Suffrage is finally fully extended to African American women
August 8, 1969 – Executive order 11478 issued by President Nixon requires each federal department and agency to establish and maintain an affirmative action program of equal employment opportunity for civilian employees and applicants
—-
Check links in case of postponement, cancellations, or restrictions due to pandemic precautions:
—-
August 26 – November 8, 2020, Petaluma’s Participation in the Women’s Suffrage Movement, Petaluma Library and Historical Museum The Petaluma Museum Association’s suffrage exhibit has been rescheduled. This postponement has provided the opportunity to coordinate the exhibit’s opening reception with the national celebration of “Women’s Equality Day”. Mark your calendars for Wednesday, August 26th, 5 to 8 pm! The exhibit will be dedicated to our former Congresswoman, Lynn Woolsey, and our former Mayor, Helen Putnam, and we are delighted to report that Mayor Barrett will be attending the opening to bestow the honors.
https://www.petalumamuseum.com/2020/04/18/petalumas-participation-in-the-womens-suffrage-movement/
—-
January 25 through September 13, 2020, From Suffrage to #MeToo at Museum of Sonoma County. Please note: Fee is required for entry to museum. For more information visit https://museumsc.org/suffrage-metoo/
—-
League of Women Voters of Sonoma County has scheduled candidate debates and ballot measure discussions. See their webpage listing the events at https://www.facebook.com/lwvsonomacounty/ and at http://sonco.ca.lwvnet.org/
—–
Sonoma County Women’s Suffrage Project https://socowomen2020.org/
with Calendar of related Events at https://socowomen2020.org/calendar
—-
The Opening and Closing Theme song is with permission of the Composer and Singer Alix Dobkin:
The Woman in Your Life is You by Alix Dobkin from the album Living with Lavender Jane (Women’s Wax Works) – www.alixdobkin.com
Political World, sung by Carolina Chocolate Drops from the album Chimes of Freedom: Bob Dylan Songs (Released 2012 Amnesty International).
By My Silence, sung by Sonja and Disappear Fear from the album Splash (2008 Disappear Records)
—-
For music purchasing opportunity:
Link: Spinitron.com Playlist for Women’s Spaces Show
Women's Spaces 